A cholo is term implying a Hispanic male that typically dresses in chinos (khahki pants), a wifebeater sleeveless teeshirt or a flannel shirt with only the top buttoned, a hairnet, or with a bandana around the forehead, usually halfway down over the eyes. Cholos often have black ink tattoos, commonly involving Catholic imagery, or calligraphy messages or family names.

Cholos often drive low riders.

A farcical example of a cholo from the movies is Cheech, from Cheech and Chong.

The U.S. context of the word Cholo/Chola originated in Los Angeles and can be a derogatory term meaning Chicanogangster or pandilleroor marero. They are born in the U.S. and favor Spanglish. They might refer to any Latino unlike them as pocho, or white-washed.

A hardcore cholo will wear the baggy look, bigtime tatoos, and a shaved head. The chola might have long permed black hair, dark lipstick and a teardrop tatooed under her eye, (and their toddler might have a shaved head and wear the garb unless abuelita steps in.)

This look is subject to change as gang-culture evolves. So what a cholo looked like in the times of Cheech and Chong is out-of-date, but still revered with some pride. There are even plastic figurines with this look sold in gumball machines all over the streets of L.A.

The word has a totally different context in South America, where it means indigenous peasant. But in the States, it has been appropriated and the context has evolved.

A Cholo is a latino gangster (aka Vato Loco). Some Cholos may get their clothes from Dickies that are 2 sizes larger than what they would normally wear while buttoning only the top button. Cholos may invest in lowrider brand clothing and wear plaid flannel jackets during the winter. Shirt /bandana colors may vary depending on the Cholo’s gang. Cholos may wear shoes like Lugz or Cortezes with a wide variety of colors to go with the clothes. Cholos never back down from anyone who disrespects them and always keep their chin up as they stare everyone down. They usually never move out of the way for anybody while walking, unless it’s a lady or one of their homies.

Cholos usually talk a lot of Spanglish; mixing Spanish & English words in sentences. They may say a few words in Spanish and then a few words in English and vice versa. They might also say words like “Vato,” “Foo,” or “Ese” when finishing a sentence.

A Mexican gangster. Other definitions say this is untrue, and that cholo means only means mestizo. However, since this is an "urban" dictionary where the idea is to communicate the colloquial, everyday meaning used in contemporary society, the correct meaning is mexican gangster.

I was going to go to 7-11, but I decided not to when I saw the group of Cholos standing on the street corner.